The iPhone Fold hasn't been officially announced yet, but it's already noticeably influencing the strategy of its biggest competitor. New rumors about the display size and aspect ratio of the first foldable iPhone have led Samsung to adjust its production and product planning. The goal is to launch a direct competitor in time.
The foldable smartphone market has been clearly dominated by Samsung. With Apple's anticipated entry into the market, this situation is changing. The iPhone Fold is no longer seen as a distant concept, but as a concrete product that challenges existing form factors. Samsung is now responding to this with a new special edition model.
Rumors about the iPhone Fold and its display
Several reports suggest that Apple could unveil a foldable iPhone for the first time this fall. According to various sources, the iPhone Fold will have a 7.7-inch internal display when unfolded. Its 4:3 aspect ratio is closely based on the iPad's format.
When folded, the device features a 5.3-inch external display. This display is shorter and wider than those of previous iPhones and deliberately differs from the narrow front displays of many current foldable devices.
Samsung's response: the planned Wide Fold
According to a report by the Korean newspaper ETNews, Samsung plans to produce around one million units of a new device internally codenamed "Wide Fold." This would be the largest initial production run of a Samsung special edition model in the past three years.
The Wide Fold is expected to feature a 7.6-inch foldable OLED display, also with a 4:3 aspect ratio. It will be complemented by a 5.4-inch cover screen. These technical specifications are therefore very close to the rumored specifications of the iPhone Fold.
A source cited in the report states that the Wide Fold is not considered significantly more difficult to produce than the TriFold model. Should the market response be positive, Samsung could subsequently increase production volume.
Classification of TriFold, Fold 8 and market strategy
Alongside the Wide Fold, Samsung is working on other foldable devices. The upcoming Galaxy Z TriFold, however, is expected to be released in a limited edition of approximately 200,000 units. The market launch is anticipated for January 30th, with a starting price of $2,899.
The plans for the Wide Fold are considerably more ambitious. It is expected to be unveiled alongside the Galaxy Z Fold 8 and the Flip 8 at the Samsung Q3 Unpacked event in July. If this plan is confirmed, it would represent a departure from previous strategies of staggering the launch of special models to avoid overlapping sales figures.
Sales forecasts and analyst assessments
Renowned industry analyst Ming-Chi Kuo predicts that Apple could sell between 8 and 10 million iPhone Fold units. This is contingent on the market launch taking place as expected in 2026 and not being postponed to the beginning of the following year.
Samsung shipped more than 6 million foldable smartphones last year. With the addition of the Wide Fold to its portfolio, the company expects total shipments to increase further.
Apple's planned market entry
Apple is expected to unveil its first foldable device in September, alongside the iPhone 18 Pro models. Even though many technical details are not yet officially confirmed, the iPhone Fold is already considered a catalyst for new design decisions among competitors.
The iPhone Fold as a trigger for new Samsung models
The iPhone Fold isn't even on the market yet, but it's already having a concrete impact on Samsung's product planning. With the Wide Fold, the Korean manufacturer is specifically responding to Apple's anticipated display sizes and sales volumes. This significantly intensifies competition in the foldable segment. For the market, this means faster development, clearer positioning, and an increasing focus on larger, tablet-like formats for foldable smartphones. (Image via @UniverseIce)
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